Prague, Nov 8 (CTK) – Czech President Milos Zeman will remember the anniversary of the events that led to the fall of the country´s communist regime in 1989 at Prague-Albertov on November 17 when a protest against Islam will be held there, his spokesman Jiri Ovcacek told TV Prima yesterday.
The Bloc Against Islam organises a demonstration “in support of the views of the president on immigration and Islam” at Albertov from 14:00 on Tuesday, November 17.
Ovcacek said Zeman may address the people who will arrive at the demonstration.
Zeman is known as a radical critic of Islam and he repeatedly said the Islamic migrants posed a threat, would not respect Czech law and did not deserve compassion as most of them were young and healthy men.
According to the Interior Ministry reports on extremism, the Bloc Against Islam tries to win over supporters of far-right parties and it deliberately misinterprets information or take them out of context in order to become popular.
Ovcacek recalled that Zeman made a speech at Albertov on this anniversary last year.
On November 17, 2014, Zeman delivered a speech during the unveiling of a memorial plaque marking 25 years from the fall of the Czechoslovak communist regime. Hundreds of people whistled during his speech, pelted him with eggs and other items and called on him to resign. Banners in the crowd criticised Zeman, blaming him for support for Russia, alcohol drinking and vulgar statements made on the public Czech Radio, also about the Russian activists from the Pussy Riot band.
On November 17, 1989, police violence against a peaceful student demonstration started the Velvet Revolution that led to a change of regime in Czechoslovakia. On this day, student demonstrations against Nazi Germans from 1939 are remembered as well.
Several events will be organised in Prague on November 17, both commemorative events remembering the 1939 and 1989 events and demonstrations against migrants or in support of them.
kva/dr